For those looking for adventure, thrills, new worlds, and brave young heroes, Tyndale House has compiled five book recommendations for young adult readers (and those of us who are young at heart). www.tyndale.com
The Architect
(The Architect Series, Book 1)
by Jonathan Starrett
There’s a golden rule in Phantom City: “No one about when the Zeppelin is out.” Determined to find the truth in a city plagued with lies, Charlie Crane, along with a quirky band of unlikely heroes, works to free the people of Phantom City from the clutches of a shadowy villain. Helped by a mysterious Architect who only communicates over radio and telephone, Charlie wrestles with two big questions: Can she trust a guide she can’t see? And is the truth actually worth the trouble? Filled with sinister schemes, bumbling superheroes, unexpected friendships, and plenty of humor and plot twists, The Architect keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Readers will be fascinated by the unique world of Phantom City, with its steampunk and Gotham City–type elements, and will quickly find themselves cheering for our heroes in their fight against evil. Find your copy of Jonathan Starrett’s debut novel wherever books are sold.
The Crescent Stone
(The Sunlit Lands Series, Book 1)
by Matt Mikalatos
A girl with a deadly lung disease... A boy with a tragic past... A land where the sun never sets but darkness still creeps in... Madeline Oliver has never wanted for anything, but now she would give anything just to breathe. Jason Wu skates through life on jokes, but when a tragedy leaves him guilt-stricken, he promises to tell only the truth, no matter the price. When a mysterious stranger named Hanali appears to Madeline and offers to heal her in exchange for one year of service to his people, Madeline and Jason are swept into a strange land where they don’t know the rules and where their decisions carry consequences that reach further than they could ever guess. Kirkus Reviews says, "For Narnia fans who enjoy heavy snark, this is a must-read.” Lorie Langdon, author of Olivia Twist and the Doon series says, “With the rich characterization of John Green and the magical escapism of Narnia, this book is a must read for all fantasy fans!” Be on the lookout this summer, also, for Matt Mikalatos' series bundle.
Raising Dragons
(Dragons in Our Midst Series, Book 1)
by Bryan Davis
Outcasts Billy (a boy with fiery breath) and Bonnie (a girl with dragon wings) must come together to preserve a secret legacy more than a millennium in the making. They find their lives turned upside down when they are thrust into a war against evil—a war they didn’t even know was being waged. Their newly formed friendship is tested and shaped as they are forced to fight a malevolent slayer who wields a powerful, medieval weapon and is intent on exterminating their dragon heritage forever. Raising Dragons is a hair-raising, modern-day Arthurian adventure and a glimpse into another world filled with knights, dragons, and fair maidens fighting to destroy evil. Reader Jeremiah F. says, “Bryan Davis writes with the scope of Tolkien, the focus of Lewis, the grandeur of Verne, and most of all, the heart of Christ.”
A Gentle Tyranny
(Nedé Rising Series, Book 1)
by Jess Corban
What if women unraveled the evils of patriarchy? With men safely “gentled” in a worldwide Liberation, the matriarchy of Nedé has risen from the ashes. Seventeen-year-old Reina Pierce has never given a thought to the Brutes of old. Itching to escape her mother’s finca and keeping her training for the Alexia and her forbidden friendship a secret, her greatest worry is which Destiny she’ll choose on her next birthday. But when she’s selected as a candidate for the Succession instead, competing to become Nedé’s ninth Matriarch, she discovers their Eden has come at a cost she’s not sure she’s willing to pay. Jess Corban’s first novel of the Nedé Rising duology presents a new twist to the dystopian genre, delivering heart-pounding action, thought-provoking revelations, and a setting as lush as the jungles of Central America.
Search for the Astral Dragon
(Astral Alliance Series, Book 1)
by Bryan Davis
This fast-paced YA space opera (reminiscent of Star Wars) from Bryan Davis follows a strong female protagonist, Megan, on an interplanetary search for her mother. On her journey, Megan witnesses the horrors of child trafficking and slavery and joins with a group of other teens to fight against corrupt systems and stand up for the vulnerable. Full of unusual characters and daring escapes, Search for the Astral Dragon draws readers into a world of snarky spaceship computer systems, a variety of different sentient species, spaceship tech, and magical elements. Megan is smart and quick-thinking, competent with spacecraft technology, and a person of strong character whose experiences give readers difficult questions to consider.
